ISLAMABAD: An Israeli court on Wednesday extended the physical remand of former Military Advocate General Yifat Tomer Yerushalmi, according to official court proceedings reported in local media, following her arrest just days after her resignation for leaking footage showing Israeli soldiers raping a Palestinian detainee inside a Sde Teiman prison cell in August 2024.
The leaked video, which depicted reserve soldiers leading a blindfolded detainee aside and surrounding him with riot shields to conceal the assault, has ignited one of the most divisive scandals in Israel’s recent history.
According to medical information cited by the Israeli daily Haaretz, the victim suffered “a ruptured bowel, severe anal and lung injuries, and broken ribs” from the attack.
In her resignation letter, which appeared in Israeli media, Yerushalmi said she released the footage to “counter false propaganda against the military law-enforcement authorities.” Her decision has sharply intensified debate within Israeli society over accountability for the mistreatment of Palestinians in custody.
The responses
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged the severity of the scandal being exposed, saying, “The rape of Palestinian detainees by Israeli soldiers in Sde Teiman caused enormous damage to Israel’s image and to our army.”
He added, “This may be the most serious propaganda blow Israel has faced since its establishment.”
Defense Minister Israel Katz defended the soldiers, stating that “anyone who slanders IDF soldiers... is unworthy of wearing the uniform.”
He further accused Yerushalmi of spreading lies, calling the leak “one of the most severe blood libels against IDF soldiers, exposing them to persecution and lawsuits worldwide.”
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich went further. Speaking to Channel 14, he praised the perpetrators: “These are not villains; they are brave men doing what must be done in war.”
Zionist activist group Betar Worldwide labeled Yerushalmi a traitor and publicly demanded the death penalty, declaring on X: “Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi betrayed the IDF and the nation during wartime… fueling global antisemitism, damaging Israel’s image, and undermining trust within the army itself.”
For many within Israel’s far-right factions, the crime itself is secondary. The outrage is focused instead on the officer who exposed it.
International backlash
Former UK Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn condemned the arrest, writing on X: “The arrest of Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi for exposing the horrific rape at Sde Teiman is a disgrace.”
He added, “Israel jails the whistleblower while the rapists walk free, this is not justice, it's a cover-up for systematic torture in Palestinian detention camps.”
US Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib echoed the criticism: “Israel arrests its own top prosecutor for leaking proof of soldiers gang-raping a Palestinian at Sde Teiman, but the actual criminals? Hero's welcome from Netanyahu's government.” She argued, “This is why we need to end US aid funding rape and torture.”
A prominent editor at Zeteo News summarized the situation starkly: “In Israel, leaking evidence of rape is a bigger scandal than raping a Palestinian.”
Redemption or not?
Despite the widespread praise for exposing the abuse, critics insist Yerushalmi is no hero.
They note that as Military Advocate General, she was a senior figure in the same system now implicated in systemic torture, sexual abuse, and killings in detention. Her tenure coincided with the war in Gaza, which resulted in the deaths of 67,000 Palestinians.
Once celebrated as the first woman to serve as Military Advocate General, and only the second to reach the rank of Major General, Yerushalmi now finds herself prosecuted by the same state she served. To many observers, the scandal reveals a state more outraged by exposure than by atrocity itself.
What comes next
Defense Minister Katz has already appointed attorney Itai Ofir as the new military prosecutor. Iraeli publication ‘Times of Israel’ says five individuals are now under arrest, including retired chief prosecutor Col. Matan Solomosh, who was detained on November 2 for allegedly helping conceal Yerushalmi’s role. Authorities plan to question at least seven more.
A Tel Aviv court has extended Yerushalmi’s detention by two more days, citing concerns she may attempt to interfere with evidence. Her detention now continues through Friday, November 7.
Meanwhile, more than 10,000 Palestinians, including women and children, remain held in Israeli prisons, where human rights organizations report ongoing torture, starvation, and medical neglect.
The scandal continues to grow, and for many, it has laid bare the moral fractures at the core of Israel’s military and political establishment.
